Forearm muscle mitochondrial capacity and resting oxygen uptake: Relationship to symptomatic fatigue in persons with multiple sclerosis

Background Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Whether mitochondrial alterations are a function of ambulatory dysfunction or are of a non-ambulatory systemic nature is unclear.Objective To compare oxidative capacity, and rest muscle oxygen consumption (mVO 2 ) in the upper limb of persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) to a control group (CON), whereby an upper limb would be comparatively independent of ambulation or deconditioning.Methods Near infra-red spectroscopy was used to measure oxidative capacity of the wrist flexors in PwMS (n = 16) and CON (n = 13). Oxidative capacity was indicated by the time constant (TC) of mVO 2 recovery following brief wrist flexion contractions. Measurements included well-being, depression, symptomatic fatigue, disability, handgrip strength, cognition, and functional endurance. Analysis was by T-tests and Pearson correlations with p ≤ 0.05. Data are mean (SD).Results TC of mVO 2 recovery was slower in PwMS (MS = 47(14) sec, CON = 36(11) sec; p = 0.03). No significant correlations were found between oxidative capacity and any other measures. Rest mVO 2 was not different between groups, but correlated with symptomatic fatigue (r = 0.694, p = 0.003) and strength (0.585, p = 0.017) in PwMS.Conclusion Oxidative capacity was lower in the wrist flexors of PwMS, possibly indicating a systemic component of the disease. Within PwMS, rest mVO 2 was associated with symptomatic fatigue.